ROTTEN TOMATOES: Star Trek XI Finds Its Kirk -- and Maybe Bones, Too

Star Trek XI Finds Its Kirk -- and Maybe Bones, Too

Thanks for the scoop, Smokin' Joe!

by Jeff Giles | October 16, 2007

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Hey, it's been a few days -- who's up for some Star Trek XI casting news?

First, from IGN Movies, we get word that Karl Urban -- recently thought to be up for the role of Nero, the villain who will be played by Eric Bana -- is the favorite to play Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. IGN quotes TrekMovie.com:

TrekMovie.com "has confirmed with a source that Urban is now in talks for the role of Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, the role originally played by DeForest Kelley. According to the source the deal is not certain and Urban's schedule seems to be an issue with a film currently shooting and another in pre-production."

While you ponder whether Urban has the gravitas necessary to pull off Bones' famous "I'm a doctor, not a..." line, we've got more Trek news: ComingSoon.net is reporting that Chris Pine has been confirmed as the new James T. Kirk.

ComingSoon's source? "Smokin' Joe" Carnahan, who, until very recently, expected to direct Pine in White Jazz. From a post at Carnahan's blog:

The young man playing Junior Stemmons has opted to 'boldly go where no man has gone before' and thus, had to bow out of WHITE JAZZ. I've been talking to him this past week and knew how tough the decision had to be for him. I don't envy ever being in that spot but I gave him my full support, even if it meant he didn't do JAZZ. I get it. You don't get opportunities like that often and I told him as long as he could control as much of that process as possible and not get sucked into doing lesser sequels as a result of taking this gig, then good luck and God bless.

We're sure to do something down the road. I've already slotted him in for KILLING PABLO.

There you have it, Trekkies -- your new Enterprise crew is almost complete. Still looking forward to 12/25/08?

Source: IGN Movies
Source: ComingSoon.net
Source: Smokin' Joe Carnahan

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(1-20 of 22 posts) | Reply

0LDB0Y writes:
on Oct 16 2007 07:27 AM

Why does Conan O'Brien make fun of Star Trek geeks?

(Reply to this)

witherwings writes:
on Oct 16 2007 07:31 AM

Eomer as Bones. Hm. Okay. I really don't care anymore, after Chris Pine. They could cast John Rhys-Davies and I'd say, whatever.

(Reply to this)

renodc writes:
on Oct 16 2007 07:47 AM

Pine and Urban are definitely odd casting choices for Kirk and Bones. Neither really seems to fit the character, but all the characters on Star Trek have become so iconic, I think replacing the former actors with new actors may not work irregardless of who they choose. That's the major problem with remaking anything with such extreme past popularity.

(Reply to this)

renodc writes:
on Oct 16 2007 07:48 AM

I know irregardless isn't technically a real word, but I like to use it.

(Reply to this)

MMacKK writes:
on Oct 16 2007 07:49 AM

witherwings, what is it that you do enjoy?

I can understand Star Trek... I've never been drawn to it much. Only Simon Pegg will get me in a cinema.

(Reply to this)

witherwings writes:
on Oct 16 2007 08:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#1194644)
I enjoy poetry... and a good glass of scotch. And of course, my friend, Baxter here.

(Reply to this)

Now it's dark writes:
on Oct 16 2007 08:23 AM

Trek is dead.

(Reply to this)

xenogears writes:
on Oct 16 2007 08:28 AM

So......so far they have three actors that usaully do comidies (John cho, simon pegg, and chris pine), one serious actor (Eric bana), and one guy that usally kills stuff in movies (karl urban). wow.

(Reply to this)

blank blank writes:
on Oct 16 2007 09:09 AM

witherwings ive disagreed with you in the past... but that was an excellent anchorman comeback, touche.

i agree with now it's dark, but i dont think that this casting call is the thing that did it. trek was dead a long time ago, the studio just doesnt realize it yet.

this movie will probably do decently at teh box office, but i dont think it will justify the budget. ultimately, i think it will be considered a flop, irregardless (thanks rendoc) of the quality of the movie. kind of like a mini-superman returns situation. ok movie, huge budget, not enough BO/awesomeness to get anybody excited about a sequel...

(Reply to this)

TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Oct 16 2007 09:13 AM

It's always been a guilty pleasure of mine to hope Karl Urban does well. I thought he was fantastic as Eomer-- plenty of gravitas to what could've been a nothing role. His other choices have kind of sucked-- Chronicles of Riddick!? Doom!?
It's pretty radical thinking that would make him 'Bones', but it might work, depending on what they do with it.
Dunno who the h$ll Pine is, beyond seeing some movie trailer comedy where he literally plays a 'blind' dater. Good luck with that.

(Reply to this)

nathanpoitras writes:
on Oct 16 2007 09:27 AM

Karl Urban? mmmmmkay.

(Reply to this)

High School With Money writes:
on Oct 16 2007 10:45 AM

This all smacks of a rush cast job to beat the strike. All that's left to ponder is that completely new interpretations of the characters are in store. Whether they'll either stack up to the originals or even carry their own weight at all remain to be seen.

Pine... Quinto... Urban... best starship buddies?

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Oct 16 2007 11:48 AM

I wonder if the cast for the original Star Trek series was considered to be as odd a collection as this bunch is. Pine has to be a masochist to want to take on the role of Kirk though. Talk about your make or break role.

(Reply to this)

TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Oct 16 2007 11:50 AM

Interesting Point, HSWM-- The three of them DO represent the heart of the old Trek universe because of their friendship. This whole Idea of a reboot on this just seems weird to me.. This is not like the superhero movies or James Bond where the character itself is the Icon and can therefore be re-interpretted. The *only* reason these characters matter is because the people who played them MADE them matter.
I do not condemn this project. I remain skeptical.

(Reply to this)

TheAnswerMVP2001 writes:
on Oct 16 2007 06:02 PM

Please no more Star Trek news, it's only making my angry and sick at the same time. It's clear no one cares anymore, the chances this film has of finding any success whatsoever is long dead. I'd rather watch an hour of Priceline.com commercials with William Shatner than read anymore about this crap.

(Reply to this)

reavus4983 writes:
on Oct 16 2007 08:08 PM

This news is for the fans; if you have a problem with it then you're not a real fan. And in that case, please just shut up.... for the sake of the fans. You're sick of "Star Trek" news? I'm not, so I'm sick of hoping to read someone's insightful comment and instead getting another "Stop posting articles about news that I don't care about even though everybody actually does care who plays Kirk but I feel like whining."

That goes for the constant comments by people whining about how they don't care about the article that they just read. Don't click on the article if you don't care; the news is in the headline so you know what you'll be reading. Go to IMDB if you feel like bashing something.

That being said, nobody could possibly replace Shatner as Kirk, a sad truth that the world must begin dealing with. Pine is the best of any rumors so it's good he beat the rest out because he shares at least some of Shatner's Kirk's qualities, looks-wise and even acting-wise. But it might've been neat if he was cast as Christopher Pike, just because of the name similarity.

(Reply to this)

reavus4983 writes:
on Oct 16 2007 08:11 PM

This news is for the fans; if you have a problem with it then you're not a real fan. And in that case, please just shut up.... for the sake of the fans. You're sick of "Star Trek" news? I'm not, so I'm sick of hoping to read someone's insightful comment and instead getting another "Stop posting articles about news that I don't care about even though everybody actually does care who plays Kirk but I feel like whining."

That goes for the constant comments by people whining about how they don't care about the article that they just read. Don't click on the article if you don't care; the news is in the headline so you know what you'll be reading. Go to IMDB if you feel like bashing something.

That being said, nobody could possibly replace Shatner as Kirk, a sad truth that the world must begin dealing with. Pine is the best of any rumors so it's good he beat the rest out because he shares at least some of Shatner's Kirk's qualities, looks-wise and even acting-wise. But it might've been neat if he was cast as Christopher Pike, just because of the name similarity.

(Reply to this)

Alterran writes:
on Oct 16 2007 09:56 PM

In reply to this comment (#1194601)
Gimli? That I might watch.

(Reply to this)

sharpless writes:
on Oct 16 2007 10:50 PM

Abrams must know something that we don't, about most of these casting choices. I'm going to have faith. At least Quinto and Nimoy will be good... right?

(Reply to this)

mbrocchi writes:
on Oct 17 2007 03:22 AM

In reply to this comment (#1194780)
Incidently... Eric Bana actually started off as a Comedian on Ausralian TV, starring in a skit show called Full Frontal and then even doing a short run at a talk show host... He's come a long way since then!!

(Reply to this)